


Birthday Beers

by Areo_ian



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Brolai Week, Brolai Week 2020, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:14:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23596693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Areo_ian/pseuds/Areo_ian
Summary: “Besides,” she rolled onto her butt and lept from the bar to her feet, “It’s my birthday. You have to do what I say.”Modern AU
Relationships: Brolai - Relationship, Broly/Cheelai
Comments: 18
Kudos: 44
Collections: Brolai Week





	Birthday Beers

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was based of the the Saiyan Tales #BrolaiWeek2020 April 11 prompt:  
> “Y-you’ve never celebrated a birthday?”
> 
> This was fun to write. Broly is not your typical Saiyan and Cheelai... well Vegeta said it best “Saiyans like strong women.” 
> 
> Thank you Lachanophobic and Lady_Red for beta-ing! Thank you Saiyan_Tales for having this week for a rarely written pair! And Thank you HannaBellLecter for answering all my questions and your help.
> 
> Definitely read their works for some fun, sexy and feel good fics!

Being alone felt like home. In the city square, she watched people meet, separate, come together, and break apart. The summer sun painted a warm glow on everyone’s faces. Some people were happy. Some were sad. Some looked worried, while some others looked relieved to be finally done with another work day. Still, no one looked her way or even noticed she was there. 

_Buzz. Buzz._

Without looking away from the view in front of her, she slid her phone out from her back pocket and unlocked it. She moved to sit on the stone bench behind her to read the text.

05:42PM _Hey there C. I’m really sorry to do this to ya but after workin’ that double, my knees ain’t movin’ too good. I’ma stay in. Sending you 70 credits. Have two birthday beers on me!_

05:43PM _Mo! Told your old ass not to work the double. Rest up. And Don’t worry. I’ll take your credits lol Plus I’ll make it stretch to four beers! Beer is beer and today is just another day. See ya tomorrow._

After replying, an app notification popped up with a message:  
_75 CREDITS WERE ADDED TO YOUR UNITED PTO ACCOUNT. “Extra for the cab home.”_

“Leemo, you sap.” She smiled at her phone before putting it away.

__

“Huh? You talking to me?”

__

Before she could answer, a solid mass of flesh of a man’s body was walking towards her.

__

“Sweet thing like you must be talking to me.” The solid mass plopped on the bench so hard she felt it crack under its weight. “How about you tell me all about your day, and I can tell you all about how I can make your night better?” He added with a wink.

__

“No thanks. Not interested.” She stood to leave but he caught her wrist and pulled her closer. 

__

“Come, sit with me sweet thing?”

__

“Get your hand off of me! I said, I’m not interested.” She quickly turned her elbow towards his arm, breaking the hold. She jumped back, to give some distance between them. Despite his imposing size, she could tell he was agile.

__

_“Mmmm.”_ She watched him slowly rise and crack his knuckles. “Short. Sexy. And spunky. You don’t think I’ma let something like you go that easy?”

__

_You can’t be serious?! Of course this would happen to me, today!_ Backing up into the crowd, she searched for a cop or cop car. She spotted one a few paces away and decided to make a break for it.

__

As she predicted he lunged in front of her, blocking her beeline to the car. She swiftly stepped back and surveyed her options. _Shit! This nimble asshole! Fuck. Fuck. Ok, that alley across the street. Looks like it opens to the other street. Then lose him down the block._

__

She darted into the busy street. Nearly missing an oncoming car and truck, she zigzagged between the last two lanes of cars. On the other side of the street, in the bike lane, she took a second to catch her breath but was nearly run over by a shouting delivery man on a scooter. Dodging him had placed her face to face with a bus. Before it could connect, she rolled back into the bike lane and ended up on her ass on the sidewalk. 

__

“Crazy bitch! Don’t get yourself killed before I get a chance to play with you!” The nimble asshole shouted from across the street.

__

Giving him the finger in response, she ran down the alley as fast as her feet could move. Ignoring the sting on her ass, she darted between forgotten garbage and hurdled over a sleeping homeless person. A sneak peak behind her showed him making his way through the last bit of traffic and seconds away entering the alleyway behind her. 

__

She came to an abrupt stop at the other end of the alley. Looking around she noticed that there were less people on the street, which was bad for her since there was no crowd for her small frame to hide in. A heavy wood door slamming shut a few stores to her left caught her attention. She saw a tall slender man stagger out of a storefront. Another look behind her caused her to smile as the narrow alley was tough for her assailant to get through. She ran towards the door, pulled it open and went inside. Frantically looking around, she dashed to the other end of the bar and flung herself behind it.

__

_“Um._ Hello?” A large man looked down at her with an innocent yet confused stare.

__

She rolled her eyes and adjusted her back against the shelves. _What is it with me and exceptionally large men today?! Is there a bargain sale? Sheesh._ “Look buddy, there’s this guy-”

__

“Hey! Big man! You seen a sexy hobbit come through here?” She recognized the voice shouting into the bar.

__

_Hobbit! Oh, this fucking asshole!_ She was about to get up when her eyes met kind, yet still confused ones discreetly looking down into hers. A large hand blocked the space above her.

__

“No. No hobbits here.”

__

She heard footsteps come closer to her position.

__

“You sure big man? You look like you’re hiding something? Kinda got it written all over your face.”

__

She watched as the man with the kind eyes didn’t respond but seemed to get increasingly angry. A chuckle from the other side of the bar and stools being tossed to the floor was all she heard before deafening silence. She closed her eyes to calm her echoing heartbeat and regulate her breath. A quick shuffle of feet and a light touch at the top of her head, made her duck lower. But the sounds of bones cracking and a pained yelp caused her to arch her head up then instinctively jump to her feet. She watched as her assailant's hand, over the bar top and only centimeters from where her head rested, was being mangled. Fingers and a crushed palm was being rolled around in a much larger hand. 

__

_“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!_ Stop it! Let- _ahhhhh!_ LET ME GO!”

__

“Serves you right you asshole!” She taunted him.

__

“You bitch.” The asshole snarled back. Ignoring the pain and the large body next to her, he reached out to her with his free hand. It was swiftly stopped with a crushing snap of the wrist.

__

“Don’t. Touch.” The man behind the bar pushed the broken man backwards into a booth and placed himself in front of her.

__

“What the fuck is wrong with you?! You’re- you’re a monster! A fucking animal!” 

__

She watched the muscles in the gentle man’s back roll and flex under his black t-shirt. 

__

“Animal? ANIMAL?!”

__

The man in front of her placed a hand on the bar top and jumped over it effortlessly. She watched him stalk up the frightened and broken man.

__

_Shit! He tried to help me but he's about to go to jail for killing a guy. Man does he have some temper. Zero to nine thousand in a second._ She ducked into the clearing under the bar that she first came through and placed her small body against the soon-to-be killer. 

__

“Hey. Hey! Look, let him go. He’s learned his lesson. You learned your lesson, _right_?” She looked behind her at the broken man, sobbing.

__

“Yeah, yeah I learned my lesson.”

__

“And he won’t be grabbing up anyone else, _right_?”

__

“My fucking hands are broken! How can-“

__

The soon-to-be killer flexed and growled.

__

“Yeah, yeah. I mean no! NO! I won’t grab anyone else. I promise!”

__

“See big guy? He’s not gonna hurt anyone else.” She put her hands in front of her defensively and watched as her words were turned to ashes from the fire radiating from him.

__

He took a step back and recoiled his hand into a tight fist. “An… i… mal!” His voice rose with each syllable.

__

Without thinking she latched into his body, fully pressing herself into him. She felt his body still. Arching her neck up, she saw that innocent yet confused stare return to his face.

__

“No one here thinks you're an… _that_. Ok? I don’t.” She remained latched onto him as he took several steps back and bumped into the bar. “Run!” She yelled behind her, without eye contact.

__

The man she held growled and moved to follow the broken man out the door. 

__

“Hey there big guy. What’s your name? I’m Cheelai.” She strained her voice while trying to pull him back, but gave him a big smile. 

__

He growled and huffed at the slamming door. Looking back down, all the anger washed away again. “Huh?” He asked softly.

__

“I said,” She gradually released her unbelievable tight grip on him. “I’m Cheelai. What’s your name?”

__

“Broly. I’m Broly.”

__

“Thanks Broly for…” Not wanting to upset him again, she tried to keep the focus on her. “...for the help earlier. Didn’t mean to barge into your place like that.” She picked up a stool and righted it against the bar.

__

“Yeah, no problem.” Broly scratched his head and looked around at the disarray.

__

“The least I can do is help you clean this place up.” She said with a big, fake smile and set another stool onto its feet.

__

“ _Um_. You don’t have to. I can handle it.”

__

“It’s no problem. I ain’t got nothing else to do anyway.”

__

He picked up a chair. She took it from him after he gently let it go. He went over to the booth and lifted up the splintered half of the table. A light growl snapped her head over to him. She was relieved when she saw him inspect it then snap his fingers in thought. He walked behind the bar, lifting the hinged top and went down some stairs. On the countertop, she saw the towel he had first been wearing on his shoulder and used it to dust off the stools that were covered in wood shards. He returned with a tool kit and the other half of the table. She watched him try to glue the two halves together, while still trying to attach the base. The tabletop and the base took turns falling down. 

__

After a short while, she slid off a stool and grabbed the drill. She revved it up and winked at him. “Let me try.”

__

He held the table in place as she moved to drill screws on top and underneath to secure it. 

__

“There! Good as new.” She took a step back. He timidly released the broken half and stood next to her eyeing the table. As soon as they let out a sigh of relief, the broken side table leaned forward.

__

“ _Ummm_. You can fix that later. Got a broom?” She said with her hands on her hips.

__

She swept as he fixed the broken top of the bar. Looking around for the dustpan, she found him kneeling in front of her, holding it. She smiled in appreciation and he returned her smile with an accompanying blush.

__

“Well, all back to normal. Just in time for your evening rush.”

__

Wiping his hands on a towel he walked up to a window next to the door. “No evening rush. Most people forgot about this place.”

__

“Really? It used to be a popular hangout?” She hopped onto a stool and sat in his direction.

__

“Yeah kinda. People from the PTO would come in during lunch breaks and shift changes. But,” He took a slow walk behind the bar. “Since the Saiyans don’t come here anymore, the PTO doesn’t either. We don’t get many customers.”

__

_“We?”_ She looked around the vacant room, feeling like it was emptier than it had been moments ago.

__

“Me and my Dad.” His voice trailed off. He gripped the bar top and his head sunk into the void beneath it.

__

“Oh was that who I saw stumble out of here before I came in?”

__

“No. That’s Beets.” He slowly raised his head and gently took a glass out the sink. “He’s a friend. My Dad’s friend… only friend.” Finding a clean towel he started wiping it dry. 

__

“Where’s your Dad?”

__

“Dead.” He spoke softly into the air between them. “He was killed a month ago.”

__

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

__

“Me too.” He put the glass on the shelf behind him then picked up another out from the sink. “I think?”

__

“What do you mean?”

__

“He was… He was my Dad... It’s kind of hard to explain.”

__

“We don’t have to talk about it. We can talk about something else or I can leave. I’ve been here a while anyway.” She turned to step off the stool.

__

“No! Don’t leave!” He dropped the glass, but she reached over and caught it before it dropped on the counter.

__

“Ok. Ok.” She smirked at him. “Well, how about you buy this girl a beer. It is my birthday.” She set the glass in front of her and propped her chest on the bar.

__

Through the glass, he stared at her cleavage. She tapped the top of the glass and got his attention.

__

“Su- Sure. Which one do you want to drink?”

__

“ _Ummm_ give me what Beets was having.”

__

“Ok. He had cider.” He grabbed the draft tab.

__

“No. No. I’ll take something stronger. What do you got for an IPA?”

__

“These.” He pointed to some drafts in front of him.

__

She propped herself on the bar to get a better look. “ _Hmmm_... I’ll take a Fusion.”

__

“Are you sure? I heard it’s really strong.”

__

“Yeah sure.” She handed him the glass. “I can handle strong.” She smiled sweetly at him. He poured the beer and took extra care not to foam it.

__

“Why don’t you have one with me?”

__

“I don’t drink.” He set the beer in front of her.

__

Raising an eyebrow, looking up and down the bar she sighed. “You mean to tell me you own a bar and you don’t drink.”

__

“No. My Dad didn’t allow me to.”

__

“Well he isn’t here. No offense! And since it’s just you and me here… Why don’t you take a sip of mine?”

__

He looked at her cautiously, then down the stairs.

__

“Look, Broly you don’t have to. I was just teasing.” She captured his attention at the sound of his name. She moved the glass to take a sip, but he snatched it from her. After peering in it for a split second, he drank it in what seemed like one gulp. “Hold on there big guy. Maybe take it a little slower.”

__

He suddenly hiccuped and she laughed.“How about you pour me another and sit over here next to me?”

__

———

__

Moments turned into minutes. By the time she got to the end of her beer, she was lost in her own thoughts on the day. She looked over to her companion and saw he was in the same position with the same sad, blank expression from when he first sat there. 

__

“Wanna say it out loud?”

__

“Huh?”

__

“You’re so quiet. Why don’t you say what you are thinking out loud.”

__

“I- I am sorry for getting angry before. When I get angry… everything else goes dark.”

__

“Oh.” It could have been the beer or nearly being attacked earlier but suddenly she felt like she needed to take note of all the exits and escape points, until he looked at her. His sexy, puppy eyes melted her heart and warmth pooled between her thighs.

__

“Why do you get so angry so fast? Have you tried, like, calming or breathing techniques?”

__

“For what?”

__

“To not get angry or to calm down before your anger builds up.”

__

“My Dad always taught me to feed my anger. To use it.”

__

“Use it for what?”

__

“To hurt people he didn’t like. And to win competitions.”

__

“To hurt people? How strong are you Broly?” She lightly placed his large in between her tiny one. “I guess for you to crush that guy's hand like that you must be pretty strong.”

__

“I wasn’t even trying. I wasn’t trying to hurt him.”

__

She gently pet the inside of his palm. “I believe you. You seem to be a sweet, simple guy.”

__

He pulled his hand away and stood up. “Simple means stupid.” He was about to walk past her when she curled her arms around his massive one. 

__

“Broly I didn’t mean it like that. I hardly know you to call you anything like that. I just meant you… you're honest and direct. Please sit with me.”

__

He plopped back on the stool but had his back to the bar. She looked at her empty glass, sat on the bar top and poured herself another one. He looked up at her. 

__

“Don’t worry. First one is on you. This one is on me.” She said with a wink. He snatched the glass from her again and drank it in one gulp. “Sheesh, you could have gotten your own.” She snatched it back, poured another and sat back down, pulling her glass close to her chest. “This one is on you.”

__

He hiccuped again.

__

“My Dad taught me how to fight.” He curled his fingers into his palms. “At first he did, but then I hit him too hard...” She watched him smile at the memory. “After that he brought in our dog Bah. He wasn’t really a dog. He was a wolf my Dad captured in the woods. He brought it back here. Put me and it in the backyard. Told me if I didn’t fight it would eat me.”

__

“Whatttt?! How old were you?” 

__

“Maybe like five or six.”

__

“That’s horrible.”

__

“It’s ok. We Saiyans are strong.” He lifted his fist then dropped it weakly. “That's what he used to say. At first I was scared but then it was like me and Bah were playing. That’s when my Dad brought his friends to watch us fight. He would starve Bah for days to make sure we put on a good show. But me and Bah always ended in a draw, he never really hurt me and I would never hurt him.”

__

“That’s sweet. Where is he? I wanna pet him.” She looked towards the back door. 

__

“My Dad shot him in the head.” He replied flatly.

__

“What!”

__

“He didn’t like us being friends. He always wanted me stronger than my opponent. He said I was made to kill. He tried to get me to shoot it in the head, and when I didn’t do it. He shot Bah. Then I hit him. And hit him. I didn’t stop. I don’t remember much after that, except waking up in the basement chained to the floor. He said I would learn never to disobey him again. I don’t know how many days I spent down there but I started to eat any bugs or rats that I found.”

__

“Oh my- I’m... gonna be sick. You can have this glass.” She turned the other way and slid the glass in his direction.

__

“Don’t worry. I cook them now.” He turned around in the stool to face her with a small smile.

__

She held her hand over her mouth but batted at his chest. He took the glass and finished the contents.

__

“You better be joking.”

__

“Maybe.” He said with what she was surprised to recognize as a smirk.

__

“Please tell me he fed you actual food, eventually?”

__

“Yeah he did. Eventually. But not really food. I had a lot of protein shakes and bars growing up. He wanted me to be as strong as I could be at all times. That's how I won so many competitions.” He pointed to the shelves behind the bar. She glanced at it, noticing the trinkets on it for the first time. The walls were lined with photos of Broly posing in fitness completions. In some, he was a kid. In others a teen. In all of them his father was next to him, standing proud. Metals draped on top of several trophies crowned the top of the shelves. She couldn’t believe she was just now recognizing how much brighter they shined than the glasses lined up underneath them.

__

“Wow. I guess despite him being a cruel man. He was proud of you.”

__

“I don’t know if he was cruel. But he was… My Dad.”

__

“Yeah. I guess he was.” She suddenly looked side to side and around the room. “ _Umm_ , do you have a ladies' room?”

__

He looked at her slightly confused. When she hopped off the chair and danced in place, he seemed to get the point. “Oh. Yes. Back there. Second door. And use the one on the left side. It’s probably better… for… you.”

__

She didn’t wait a second longer and figured she’d find out what he meant when she saw it.

__

He watched her run to the back and glanced back at the bar. He stood up abruptly and ran down the stairs. 

__

She returned ready to thank him for his suggestion but found his seat empty. “Broly?” Soon she heard loud footsteps racing up the stairs. She looked at him and he moved behind the bar with something behind his back. “Broly? What do you have in your hand?”

__

“Close your eyes.”

__

“ _Ooooo-kaaayyyyyy_. Sure.” She closed her eyes one by one and walked up to the bar with her hands out. “It isn’t some giant bug with a green goo is it? ... Broly? Broly?” 

__

She opened her eyes open by one to see him sadly looking down. She followed his gaze and was confused. “What… what is that?”

__

“You said it was your birthday. And my Dad already bought this protein cake for my birthday next week so I thought you could have it?”

__

“Awwww, Broly, that’s so sweet!” She put her hand against her ample chest. “But, why does it look like that?”

__

“It was frozen. I put it in the microwave to unfreeze it, like a hot pocket, and it burned. I just grabbed it out of the microwave and ran upstairs.”

__

“That’s so thoughtful of you though. I’m honored you would want to share a cake with me that was supposed to be for you. I think this is the first time I ever got a birthday cake.

__

“Y-you’ve never celebrated a birthday?”

__

“No, not really. I mean, I’m an orphan. No one really remembered my birthday. And when I grew up it was never that special, just another day. But!” She hopped up on the counter.” I did learn people give you free stuff on your birthday and ask for your drivers license to verify. So I guess I celebrate it that way. But I never had my own birthday cake. _Hmph_. And this one isn’t even really mine.” She ended quietly, bringing a finger dipped in icing to her lips and licked it off. And immediately regretted it. “That’s not frosting!”

__

“It is. It’s made with protein powder. No sugar. The whole cake was made with protein too. No sugar or starch.” 

__

“Yep. I was right, your Dad was cruel. Why would you feed that to someone?”

__

“You get used to the taste.” He brought a finger coated in frosting to his mouth. She watched him in anticipation. She watched his face and watched as he immediately regretted it. 

__

_“Mmmm?”_ She tried to restrain a chuckle. 

__

“That’s not how it tasted last year.”

__

“How about we go get some real sweets? _Ooo_ , I know! What about chocolate ice cream?”

__

“My Dad said sugar and ice cream are empty calories and will make you slow and fat.”

__

She swung her legs on top of the bar and slid them underneath her. Positioning herself on her hands and knees, a hair away from his nose. “Do I look… slow and fat?” She brought a hand to her shirt and adjusted her cleavage. 

__

His eyes darted to the bounce and jiggle of her mounds and back to her eyes. The deep red blush on his face triggers a sinister smirk on hers. 

__

“I can see how much you like alcohol. Just think about how good _it_ would taste?” The cute blush in his face turned into fear and panic in a flash. Unsure of how a first-time inebriated, super strong “Saiyan”, _whatever that means_ , would react to being turned on, for what seemed like another first-time, she decided to dial it back. 

__

“Besides,” she rolled onto her butt and lept from the bar to her feet, “It’s my birthday. You have to do what I say.”

__

With his chest heaving and his balance unsure, he finally took a deep breath and leaned against the bar shelves. “I…I, _uhhh_ , I can’t. The bar. I stay. The bar is open. And I have to stay.”

__

She spun around in a circle and stretched her neck back. “LAST CALL!” Her voice bounced off the walls. “I see no takers.” She shrugged.

__

He leaned over the bar, looked to the back, then at the door, down the stairs and back at her. “Ok. Let me close up.” 

__

“You take PTO credits, right? How much do I owe you?”

__

He put the glass in the sink and turned off the lights over the bar. “Keep it. To make up for the cake.” He grabbed the cake and went downstairs.

__

“Well I’ll pay for the ice cream!” She called after him. “Zeno knows you probably will eat a lot.”

__

He came upstairs, shut the front windows and lights to the back of the room. 

__

“Cheelai does not have any debts and I don’t like owing anyone anything.” She pointed towards herself with an air of satisfaction.

__

He picked up the drill, set it in the tool box and placed it on top of the bar. “You don’t owe me anything.”

__

“Yeah. But it would make me feel better if we were even in the books. And look at it this way, it would be making up for your ruined birthday cake. Sorry you had to throw it away.” She held the front door open for him.

__

“I didn’t throw it away.” He shut off the front light and followed her. “I gave it to Bah.”

__

“What?! I thought your Dad killed him.”

__

“I said he shot him. He didn’t kill him.” He pushed the door shut and locked it. “I’m very protective of what I care for. I wasn’t sure you could be trusted.” His smirk returned.

__

“Oh, _I_ can’t be trusted? Broly, I’m starting to believe that there’s more to you than what meets the eye.” She curled an arm around his. 

__

“Maybe.” He pulled his arm in, gently pulling her closer to him. 

__

They smiled into each other’s eyes and for the first time she felt like someone saw her. She wasn’t just a person in the crowd or someone to give orders to. When he looked at her, he saw _her_. Somehow she knew home wasn’t going to be lonely anymore.

__

They walked down the street with the setting sun at their backs.

__

“I think I talked too much. Can you tell me more about you?” He scratched the back of his head.

__

“Yeah, I can tell that _that_ never probably happens. Well, I was born by the river in the dead of summer...”

__

__

**Author's Note:**

> And thanks to the Zodiac Kween RuthlessCupcake for helping with the last lil tidbit. Wasn’t sure what sign to make Cheelai, but Leo seemed to fit!


End file.
